I like this — my main goal with my agent setup is basically creating a tinkering environment for thinking. Programming is now just tinkering with ideas — good ideas get compiled into code.

Just visited the Austin STEM center founded by my friend Peter Wang, cofounder of Anaconda. It’s a huge space for kids to learn robotics, maker skills etc.

The facilities are superior to what I had as an engineering undergrad 30y ago. Made me wonder if I’d have turned out very differently if I’d had that learning environment instead of a scarce environment of primitive tools.

Then it struck me, probably not. While I’m very always tinkered, I’ve always been more of an idea guy. That got me thinking: What’s the equivalent of a maker space for ideas and thoughts. What’s the FIRST robotics of thinking? Or thinkering? If traditional lab and workshop education can be transformed by imaginative redesign why not thinking experience? Why is the choice between regimented education and wandering unguided in libraries?

from Venkatesh Rao's Blyg ↗ · snapshot of v1